History of Social Psychology

History of Social Psychology Social psychology as a discipline began towards the end of the 1900s when scientists began to carry out experiments to measure human behaviours. According to Kassin et al (2013: 6), â€Å"social psychology is the scientific study of how individuals think, feel, and behave in a social context†. This definition brings an important aspect of social psychology, which is different from the other artistic and humanistic attempts that try to understand human behaviour, in that the discipline itself is a science. It systematically observe, describe and measure the thoughts, feelings, and behaviours of human beings as pointed out by Kruglanski and Stroebe, (2011). Another definition that was given by Gordon Allport (1954) cited in Hewstone et al (2012: 5) defined social psychology as â€Å"the attempt to understand and explain how the thoughts, feelings and behaviours of individuals are influenced by the actual, imagined or implied presence of other human beings†. Although the d efinition can be argued based on the two perspectives of critical and experimental social psychology, Allport (1954) tried to bring out the notion that much of behaviour is influenced by social roles and cultural norms. However it still remains that the two perspectives of critical and experimental social psychology have divided opinions, ‘are antagonistic and cannot be integrated’ as pointed out by Rogers (2011). Social Psychology began in the 19th Century in America with an early experiment on behavior by Triplett (1898). In this experiment that took place in the early years, Triplett studied individual’s behavior when placed in competition with others and he used cyclist to study the behaviors. It was from the results of this study that, carefully controlled experiments began as pointed out by Kassin et al (2013). The next decades which were dubbed the Coming of Age, saw the continued refinement of the discipline with Lewin (1936) developing strategies and studies that focused more on the dynamic interactions that existed between people. In one of his studies, Lewin (1946) looked at the influence that situational variables have on person variables. The relationship between the two led him to conclude that behavior of a person at any given time is influenced by both his/her characteristics and the social situation they find themselves in. Other studies that took place around this time focused on the issues of conformity (Sherif 1936). However it was during the period of rapid expansion between the period of 1949-1969 that saw experiments obedience (Milgram 1974) and the prison experiments (Zimbardo et al, 1973) that really demonstrated the power of the social setting. Also as this field was an evolving field, it was not long before it was embroiled by crises and reassessment based on the different approaches to understanding human behavior by the different Social Psychologists. One of the most fundamental contestation in the field was the demand for the field to become more relevant to target societies of study. Such lack of relevance is what made Fishbein (1997: 77-91) to comment that â€Å"accusations of engaging in experiments that are trivial and lacking originality have been often labelled against the field of Social Psychology†. It was more like researchers were developing studies to pursue their own gains at the expense of finding solutions to real life problems affecting people something that led to the â€Å"emergence of crisis of confidence† in experimental social psychology as pointed out by Elms (1975). It was therefore the development of such and other crises that brought about the two perspectives of critical and experi mental Social Psychology, with different scholars and researchers aligning themselves to the perspective they believed to be the perspective that best study and explain human behaviour. Most of the researchers that carried out experiments believed in the experimental field of Social Psychology that had led the way in the development of the field before the emergency of the critical social psychology side of the field. There was a strong belief in them that the only way to gain valid knowledge about social phenomena, processes and events is by using scientific methods something the critical followers disagreed with. The critical followers believed that science is not the only way to get knowledge especially when it comes to Social Psychology. The experimental followers further believed that the knowledge gained was ideologically neutral. This position stood in sharp contrast with the critical followers who believed that all knowledge, whether experimental or critical, was inherently positioned ideologically as pointed by Rodgers (2003: 11). The last of the elements that stood in between the two perspectives was to do with the experimental side believing in the social world being separate from the individual acting within it. This was at odds with the critical followers who believed that the social world is shaped by the people through their interactions with each other. Therefore it is the difference in these elements that has led to the two camps to be at parallel with each other when it come to Social Psychology and its study on human behaviour. Early experimentalist believed in the objectivity and neutrality that quantitative research methods in Social Psychology brought to their research methods. This believe came about because of the traits associated with quantitative research that there is always a quest for objectivity and distance between the research and his test subjects something that led to the avoidance of bias (Bryman, 2001). However the main problem that arose from the use of such quantitative methods was on the generalizability of the results to all similar situations and settings something that was refuted by critical thinkers. Mkhize (2004: 25) commented that, â€Å"in the quest to emulate the natural sciences that psychologists construed their discipline as an objective, value-free and universal science and in so doing considered issues to do with culture as an impediment†. There was also a belief with the critical scholars that the experimental approach under modernism that assumed science is capabl e of discovering the real things and real happenings out there in the world was flawed. Critical scholars believe that knowledge is constructed and not simply discovered through science and the knowledge discovered through science was biased and based on what the scientists choose to observe, interpret and tell as observed and found. Therefore it was the denying of the modernism approach under the experimental perspective that led to the postmodernism approach and the emergence of the critical thinkers. The critical thinkers had their commitment in social justice ideology that sought to gain knowledge from all social groups regardless of background and social standing. Their approach used qualitative methods that sought to better understand human behaviour without being objective. The approaches were mainly more on the inter-relationship of the individual and their particular social context they live in whilst recognising the boarder social structures in order to understand meanings of certain situations as pointed out by Gough and McFadden (2001). This was a clear move away from the quantitative experimental approach that relied on white middle class American students for their experiments which they later generalised to cover all in the social setting. Although they did not wholly disagreed with all the knowled ge discovered through scientific means, they pointed to instances where scientific knowledge was not useful. For example, critical thinkers pointed to â€Å"many diseases of modern life such as chronic fatigue syndrome that could not be diagnosed through scientific tests because they are socially and culturally constructed, defined and experienced† as pointed out by Rogers (2003). Reference List Kassin, S., Fein, S. and Markus, H. (2013). Social Psychology, 9th edition. Published by Cengage Learning. Bryman, A. 2001). Social Research Methods. Oxford, Oxford University Press. Kruglanski, A., Stroebe, W. (2011). Handbook of the history of social psychology. Philadelphia, PA: Psychology Press. Triplett, N. (1898). The Dynamogenic factors in Pacemaking and competition. American Journal of Psychology, 9(4), 507–533. Sherif, M. (1936). The psychology of social norms. New York, NY: Harper Row. Milgram, S. (1974). Obedience to authority: An experimental view. New York, NY: Harper Row. Haney, C., Banks, C., Zimbardo, P. (1973). Interpersonal dynamics in a simulated prison. International Journal of Criminology and Penology, 1, 69–87. Fishbein, M. (1997). Predicting, understanding and changing socially relevant behaviours: Lessons learned. In McGarty, C. and Haslam, S.A. (eds). The message of Social Psychology. (pp 77-91) Oxford: Blackwell. Hewstone, M., Stroebe, W and Jonas, K. (2012). An Introduction to Social Psychology: An Introduction to Social Psychology, Wolfgang Stroebe Volume 17 of BPS Textbooks in Psychology. Published by John Wiley and Sons. Rogers, S. W. (2011). Social Psychology. Published by McGraw-Hill International. Rogers, S. W. (2003). Social Psychology: Experimental and Critical Approaches. Open University Press Maidenhead Philadelphia Elms, A. C. (1975). Cited in Faye, C. American social psychology: Examining the contours of the 1970s crisis. Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences (2011), doi: 10.1016/j.shpsc.2011.11.010 accessed via http://lchc.ucsd.edu/MCA/Mail/xmcamail.2012_04.dir/pdfQIRyaPOkWx.pdf on 19/11/2014 Lewin, K. (2008) [1946]. Resolving social conflicts Field theory in social science. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association. Mkhize, N., 2004, ‘Psychology: An African Perspective’, in D. Hook, ed., Critical Psychology, Landsdowne: University of Cape Town Press. Gough, B., and McFadden, M. (2001). Critical social psychology: An introduction. London: Palgrave.

“Examine the reasons for changes in the patterns of marriage, divorce and cohabitation over the past 40 years.” Essay

The patterns of marriage, divorce and cohabitation over the past 40 years has varied quite significantly. In 1972, the highest ever number of couples (480,000) since the Second World War got married. Now, obviously there is a reason for this. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), this was due to the baby boom generation of the 1950s reaching marriageable age and these people choosing to marry at a younger age compared with previous generations. However, after this period, the number of marriages in England and Wales then went into decline. Most recently, marriages reached an all-time low in 2005 when only 244,710 couples got married. Some people would say that it reached so low because people are rejecting marriage and are no longer bothered about it. But in fact, statistics reveal that many people are actually delaying marriage. It is said that most people will marry at some point in their lives, but people are deciding to marry later in life, most likely after a period of cohabitation. A reason for this is probably because couples want to â€Å"Test the water† before they make any commitments. Evidence to support the â€Å"marrying later in life† view is that the average age for first-time bridges in 2003 was 29 years and for all grooms 31 years, compared with 22 for women and 24 for men in 1971. In particular women may want to delay marriage so they can advance their career prospects. As well as a decline in the total number of marriages, there is also a decline in marriage rates (the number of people marrying per 1000 of the population aged 16 and over). In 1994, the marriage rate was 11.4 but this had declined to 10.3 by 2004. The male rate declined from 36.3 in 1994 to 27.8 in 2004 whilst the female rate declined from 30.6 to 24.6. Once again, even though there is a decline, British Social Attitude Surveys indicate that most people, whether single, divorced or cohabitating, still see marriage as a desirable life-goal, and therefore will most likely will get married at some point in the future, particularly if they are having children, because they believe that this is best done in the context of marriage. Another change in the patterns of marriage is that two fifths of all marriages are remarriages, in which one or both partners have been divorced. These people are obviously committed to the institution of marriage despite their previous negative experience of it. The reason for this trend could possibly because their first marriages were empty-shell marriages. This is where there is no love or intimacy between them, but the marriage persists for the sake of the children until they are old enough. They then might have wanted to start a new life, including a re-marriage. Despite the decrease in the overall number of people marrying, married couples are still the main type of partnership for men and women in the UK. In 2005, seven in ten families were headed by a married couple. In terms of Divorce – the legal ending of a marriage, this has increased rapidly since 1969 due to a piece of legislation that granted divorce on the basis of â€Å"irretrievable breakdown† – the Divorce Reform Act of 1969. In addition, since 1984, couples have been able to petition for divorce after the first anniversary of their marriage. This law made the Divorce rate shoot high because it generally made it easier and cheaper to end marriages. In addition, people were finally able to legally to end all connections, as previously when divorce was either too expensive or difficult to obtain, separation was very common, which was when a couple decided to live away from each other. To go into more detail of the trend of increased divorces, in 1993, the number of divorces peaked at 180,000. By 2000, this figure had fallen to 154,000, although the years 2001 – 2004 have seen a gradual rise to 167,100. There are now nearly half as many divorces as marriages and, if present trends continue, about 40% of current marriages will end in divorce. An acceptable reason for this increasing trend of divorce is that it is no longer associated with stigma and shame. Britain’s culture is based upon Christian religion, and Christians believe that marriage is for life (‘till death do us part’). However, over years, changes in attitudes and secularisation have emerged, and the view that divorce can lead to greater happiness for the individual is more acceptable. A third reason which could explain the increasing divorce rates is down to women wanting to improve educational and career opportunities. In 1870, the Education Act passed by Gladstone’s government meant that every child between the ages of five and fifteen had the opportunity for elementary education. Not only did this produce a large literate generation of people, but it also improved the girls reading and writing ability, which previously was much lower than boys. Now, women have their own stable careers with a good wage, and thus do not have to be unhappily married because they are financially dependent on their husband. Feminists note that women’s expectations of marriage have radically changed, compared with previous generations. In the 1990s, most divorce petitions were put forward by women. This may support Thornes and Collard’s (1979) view that women expect far more from marriage than men and, in particular, that they value friendship and emotional gratification more than then do. If husbands fail to love up to these expectations, women may feel the need to look elsewhere. This would also support the fact that, on average, the number of divorce proceedings started by women is about 70%. Finally, functionalist sociologists argue that high divorce rates are evidence that marriage is increasingly valued and that people are demanding higher standards from their partners. They believe that couples are no longer prepared to put up with unhappy, empty-shell marriages, as people want emotional and sexual compatibility and equality, as well as companionship. It is said that some are even willing to go through a number of partners to achieve these goals, and if they marry every time they meet a new partner, then obviously they are going to contribute a lot more to the rising divorce rates. The final area of the diverse family is cohabitation. The basic trend of cohabitation is that it is on the increase and has been for the last decade. The proportion of non-married people cohabiting has risen sharply in the last 20 years from 11% of men and 13% of women in 1986 to 24% and 25% respectively. In 2007, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggested that cohabiting couples are the fastest growing family type in the UK. In fact, around 2.2 million families are cohabiting couples with or without children. This family type has grown by 65% since 1997, and really, the numbers are likely to be higher than this because the ONS data did not include same-sex couples living together. In addition, the ONS data suggested that a third of teenagers in 2007 were destined to cohabit rather than marry, compared with one in ten of their grandparents. As we gathered that the general trend is on the increase, it’s good to know the reasons why. One of the first reasons, which I mentioned earlier on, is that people like to cohabit to â€Å"test the water.† During this period, they will assess whether they (the couple) are compatible with each other and whether they will be able to live with each other before making any sort of commitments. After all, cohabitation on average lasts for 5 years, which then 60% of cohabitees will then marry. Another reason for the said trend is that there are a significant number of people who live together whilst waiting for a divorce. For example, in 2005, 23% of cohabiting men were separated from a pervious partner whilst 36% were divorced. So although a person may be married, they may have separated and moved into another house to live with a person they have met. They will then be counted as a cohabitee. A third reason for the increased rate of cohabitation could be because people are put off the cost of marriage. According to Wedding Guide UK, the average cost of a traditional wedding in the UK is around  £11,000. In addition to the price, some people are also put off because of the religious ceremony of marriage. This is because overtime we have become a more secular society. Both of these factors to some people will refrain them from marrying, because in their eyes they see it as long as they are with each other in a happy and loving relationship, they don’t need a ring or a piece of paper with their names on it.

Othello and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner Comparative Essay

The transformation between Othello, a 16th century Shakespearean tragedy and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, a 1960’s Romantic Comedy, can be compared by addressing themes that are present in each text. The theme of race can be used to compare the different attitudes of each context, surrounding the significant black characters of Othello in Othello and John in Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, and there interaction with white females that belong to an upper middle class. The theme of interracial marriages can be used to compare the different values and attitudes of each context, towards a black & white marriage. This applies to both Othello & Desdemona and John & Joanna. By exploring the different contexts, ideas and techniques incorporated into each text, we can apprehend the different messages that each composer has attempted to convey to their audience. Othello – Power of Love Othello is a Shakespearean tragedy, set in Elizabethan Times that present the relationship between, Othello, a ‘moor’ who’s an official in the Venetian army and Desdemona, the daughter of a noble Venetian Senator, Brabantio, and how despite their different experiences in love, a strong relationship can occur, without any initial external input. Desdemona’s assertive behaviour towards romantically pursing Othello, demonstrates her confidence and power, which she maintains throughout the play. Most significantly, the fact that Othello did not ask for Brabantio’s permission to marry Desdemona, demonstrates how Othello did not consider the traditional values of Elizabeth society. However as they play develops, Iago’s manipulation of Othello’s insecurities, leads to the relationship between Othello and Desdemona falling apart. This reflects Elizabethan society and its values towards love and marriage. In Elizabethan times, a marriage between a man and a woman was considered extremely important. Women were generally considered to be in the possession of their father, this was because men were considered powerful and important people. It was in the father’s power to determine whom their daughter married, provided that his family were respectable and had money. A marriage between a ‘moor’ and a white would not have been socially acceptable in Elizabethan times, seeing that the Moorish skin colour portrayed a sense of filth and evil. Whites being superior and educated, while others were considered inferior. This theme can be explored through the objectification of Desdemona in scene 1 Act 3 Lines 182-187 â€Å"How to respect you. You are lord of all my duty: I am hitherto your daughter. But here’s my husband: And so much duty as many mother showed To you, preferring you before her father, so much I challenge that I may profess Due to the moor, my lord.† We see that Desdemona, is detaching herself from her father, just as her mother did to her father. This demonstrates her power and her ability to make decisions despite her father’s approval.

Making Meaning When A Child Has Mental Illness - 1222 Words

Summary of the Article The case study entitled, â€Å"Making Meaning When a Child Has Mental Illness: Four Mothers Share Their Experiences† by Ahmann (2013) is essentially where Ahmann interviews four mothers whose children have been given a mental health diagnosis and she documents in anecdotal form how each of them were able to cope, and even escape the feelings of grief, isolation, loneliness, helplessness, and depression by reaching out to others and â€Å"making meaning† in their lives by being mentors to other parents who receive a similar diagnosis. Analysis and Critique It is estimated by the American Psychological Association that there are 15 million children in the United States that can currently be diagnosed with a mental health disorder (Ahmann, 2013). Elizabeth Ahmann (2013) the Co-Editor of â€Å"Family Matters† in Pediatric Nursing, interviewed four mothers of children who were diagnosed with a mental illness; in an attempt to find out how they were able to reach out to escape the grief and isolation that comes with having a mental health diagnosis for one’s child in an article entitled, â€Å"Making Meaning When a Child Has Mental Illness: Four Mothers Share Their Experiences.† Problems and Purpose The article provides information that Ahmann gathered through interviewing four mothers whose children have been diagnosed with various different mental illnesses. Ahmann asserts that the â€Å"families of children diagnosed with mental illness not only experience the challenge ofShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome1659 Words   |  7 Pagesof grown folks business† but, what if you were finally grown enough to join the conversation. While getting into a deep conversation with an old friend about your goods and your bads. You are told by the expert that mental illness for Caucasian people is schizophrenia and mental illness for African American people is Bipolarism. This shocks you because you never heard of this before. Then everything starts to make sense why in particular some of us act, talk, think the way we do. Is the problems inRead MoreAnalysis Of Ordinary People961 Words   |  4 Pagessuicide, along with multiple other symptoms. The Diagnost ic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or the DSM-V, lists the symptoms of depression as: depressed mood most of the time, reduced interest or enjoyment in most activities, challenges regulating appetite and weight, challenges regulating sleep, physical agitation or lethargy, having much less energy, unwarranted guilt, problems thinking, concentrating, or making decisions, and thinking of death and suicide (Meyers, 629). Conrad clearly showsRead MoreAre Happy Endings Possible? Essay1435 Words   |  6 Pagesstories that conclude in happy endings. As a child, watching films such as â€Å"Aladdin,† â€Å"The Little Mermaid,† and â€Å"Pocahontas,† all give off feelings of pleasure and happiness in which have lead children to believe that anything is possible. Disney love stories fulfill in the idea that love is real, wonderful, and consists of no conflicts or troubles. It is noted that Disney’s love stories are actually based off of other love tales, but are created for the child state of mind. The only issue that contradictsRead More Art Therapy Essay1292 Words   |  6 Pagestherapy in making of visual images (paintings, drawings, models etc.) in the presences of a qualified art therapist contributes towards externalization of thoughts and feelings which may otherwise remain unexpressed†(Walter Gilory, 1992). My vision of Art Therapy was very vague. I always thought art therapy was a form of therapy for distressed or abused children trying to tell a story through pictures or drawings. The American Art Therapy Association defines art therapy as a mental health professionRead MoreCharlotte Perkins Gilman s The Yellow Wallpaper1666 Words   |  7 Pagesa strict suspension of mental stimulation. The short story reflects the excessive power of men over their wives during the nineteenth century, while challenging the patriarchal conditions in unconventional manners. Despite her husband’s positive intentions, his remedies become the conditions that drive her completely insane. Despite the irrationality of the narrator’s insanity to others, Gilman uses the resulting ambition, responsibility and excitement of the very illness to liberate the protagonistRead MoreAnalysis Of Gilman s The Yellow Wallpaper867 Words   |  4 PagesYellow Wallpaper follows a woman’s repressed life and her spiral into insanity. The story follows an unnamed narrator who battles depression but strives to write and be creative. Though her illness can be cured, she struggles against her husband that feels the stimulus is not conducive with the treatment for her illness. Though it can be argued within this modern age that the inability to express ones creativity can propagate insanity, the Victorian gender roles were clear that the man knew best, leavingRead MoreEssay about Sigmund Freud Theory1445 Words   |  6 Pagesknown, though sometimes their original meanings have become changed! He began to develop his ideas as he worked with hypnosis as a treatment for hysteria in Paris. His mentor (a French Physiologist called Jean Charcot) was convinced that the hysteria that he was treating was psychical in origins. Charcot believed that ideas and beliefs could have a physical effect on a person. Repression Freud believed that a person can lose complete control of their mental states through a process called RepressionRead MoreSpirituality Through A Basic Spiritual Assessment And The Impact On My Life And Care For Future Patients927 Words   |  4 Pagesand religious beliefs, but it is much broader in scope, including a sense of meaning, purpose, and belonging. It is the core of one’s being and it affects, connects, and transcends all aspects of being. Therefore, spirituality has a profound impact on everyone’s lives whether they realize it or not. This paper will explore personal aspects of Valerie’s spirituality through a basic spiritual assessment and the impact it has on her personal life and care for future patients. Strength, peace, and securityRead MoreSpanking Child Into A Problematic Life?1295 Words   |  6 PagesSpanking your Child into a Problematic Life? In 2014 UNICEF reported that 80% of parents in the world support spanking (Holeman and Wire). Another study conducted in 2012 exposed that 70% of parents that live in America, also, support the use of spanking (Perry). Despite the majority in favor of spanking, there are numerous debates about whether spanking is an effective way to discipline your child or not. In result of the debates, many researchers have conducted studies based solely on the outcomesRead MoreSpanking And Its Negative Effects On Children s Behavior1284 Words   |  6 Pagesspanking is an effective way to discipline your child or not. In result of the debates many researchers have conducted studies based solely on the outcomes of spanking. A great number of the studies have concluded that there is a positive correlation between spanking and aggression, mental illness, and antisocial behaviors in the future. Despite the current view on spanking, researches have conducted many experiments which conclude that spanki ng has many negative outcomes. Therefore, spanking should